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Ben Baby
CINCINNATI — A longtime Cincinnati Bengals starter is looking for a new team.
Linebacker Germaine Pratt has requested a trade, a source told ESPN on Wednesday, confirming an NFL Network report.
The move comes as Pratt enters the final year of a three-year contract worth just over $20 million that he signed in 2023.
Pratt, 28, is one of the longest-tenured players on the roster. A fourth-round draft pick in 2019, Pratt has started since the middle of his rookie season. In six seasons, Pratt has started in 88 games, including 47 consecutive starts dating back to Week 3 of the 2022 season.
Most notably, Pratt had the game-sealing interception in a 2021 wild-card playoff victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, clinching Cincinnati’s first postseason win in 31 years.
Pratt was voted a team captain in 2024 and ranked ninth in the NFL with 143 tackles. He also had 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions.
If the Bengals decide to cut Pratt instead of trading him, they will incur $2.3 million in dead money against the salary cap while gaining $5.6 million in cap savings.
Roster turnover and injuries across the formation played a role in Cincinnati’s defensive struggles last season. The Bengals ranked 26th in points allowed per drive and 30th in defensive red zone efficiency.
The Bengals made a significant change this offseason by hiring Al Golden to replace Lou Anarumo as their defensive coordinator after Cincinnati missed the postseason for a second straight year.